Investigations Officer

South Yorkshire Police; Sheffield; On-site; GBP 33,000 - 37,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working options

Generous pension scheme

Hybrid working flexibility

Employee assistance programme

Job summary

South Yorkshire Police is seeking Investigations Officers for Operation Beaconport in Sheffield. You will contribute to serious and complex investigations into child sexual exploitation and abuse, coordinating with partners and managing evidence, while safeguarding victims.

Role requires experience in complex investigations, driving licence, and progression through PIP2 accreditation. The role is fixed-term for 12 months with a competitive salary and benefits.

Qualifications

• Must be over 18 years old.
• Must hold a full manual driving licence.
• Must be able to physically undertake personal safety training.
• National Investigator Exam completed (PIP2 pathway).
• Demonstrable experience in complex information gathering and problem solving.
• Good understanding of the criminal justice system.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficient with IT systems and databases used in investigations.
• Ability to plan, prioritise and work collaboratively with colleagues.

Responsibilities

• Liaise with investigators, specialists and managers to develop methods for gathering material and turning it into intelligence or evidence.
• Collect and preserve material, intelligence and evidence from diverse sources in an evidentially admissible format.
• Plan and execute investigative actions considering resources and priorities.
• Assess threat, harm and risk to develop investigation strategies.
• Interview witnesses and suspects and gather required information and evidence under standards (PIP2).
• Conduct search and custody procedures to safeguard the public.
• Support victims with risk assessments and victim strategies when required.
• Analyse evidence and identify offenders, preparing reports and case files.
• Ensure exhibits are seized, retained and managed under legislation and policy.

Skills

Driving licence (full)

National Investigator Exam

PIP 2 accreditation

Complex information gathering

Analytical thinking

Effective communication

IT systems & databases skills

Teamworking

Risk assessment & management

Tools

IT packages & databases

Job description

Job Description

Salary: £32,613 - £37,020

37

Contract Type: Temporary for 12 months.

Role Purpose

Investigation Officers for Operation Beaconport, investigations selected nationally for further review into group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse between 2010-2025.

Job Description

Role: Investigations Officers (Operation Beaconport)

District/Department: Crimes Services

Location: Europa View, Sheffield

Salary: £32,613 - £37,020

Hours: 37

Contract Type: Temporary for 12 months.

Role Purpose

Investigation Officers for Operation Beaconport, investigations selected nationally for further review into group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse between 2010-2025.

Key Responsibilities

• Liaise and work with other investigators, specialists, and managers to establish and use appropriate methods for gathering material and to develop procedures to turn material into intelligence or evidence as part of the investigation into serious and complex investigations.
• Collect and gather material, intelligence and evidence from a range of sources that are appropriate to the serious and complex nature of the investigation, record and retain evidence in a format that is evidentially admissible to support the investigative process.
• Identify and plan own investigative actions, taking into account resources, priorities, and proportionality to achieve investigatory objectives.
• Assess threat, harm, and risk in order to develop and implement plans and strategies to investigate serious and complex crime.
• Interview witnesses and suspects and gather all required information, intelligence, and evidence in relation to serious and complex investigations in accordance with PIP2 investigative standards also generating further lines of enquiry where required to bring offenders to justice.
• Undertake associated search and custody procedures to protect and safeguard the public in accordance with legislation and policy.
• Provide appropriate support for victims during an investigation, completing risk assessments, and formulating a victim strategy where required, and working with the Victim Care Unit, to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the victim.
• Carry out analysis, assess evidence, and evaluate material generated by the investigation of serious and complex crimes to identify offenders.
• Ensure all material, including exhibits generated by serious and complex crime are seized, examined, and retained in accordance with legislation and policy, where necessary.
• Respond to safeguarding concerns and manage risk in cases, including but not limited to; child neglect, child abuse, and child sexual abuse, offences against vulnerable adults, domestic abuse, and sexual offences to protect the most vulnerable people in society.
• Prepare reports on the outcome of investigations and build and manage case files and conduct disclosure within best practice procedures to ensure there is an accurate audit trail.

Skills And Experience

• Must be over 18.
• Must hold a full manual driving licence.
• Must be able to physically undertake personal safety training.
• Successfully passed National Investigator Exam
• Undertake PIP 2 investigator learning and development to achieve Professional Investigation Programme (PIP) 2 Investigator accreditation.
• Demonstrable experience of complex information gathering and problem solving.
• A detailed understanding of the criminal justice system.
• Good communication skills with the ability to listen, empathise, provide support, and adapt language, form, and message to meet the needs of different people / audiences.
• Skilled in the use of use IT packages, systems, and/or databases to fulfill role requirements.
• Able to break down a complex problem into component parts and determine appropriate action in investigations.
• Ability to work effectively in a team to achieve shared objectives, demonstrating awareness of individual differences and providing support and advice as required.
• Able to review own performance objectively and to develop and follow an appropriate improvement plan.
• Able to plan own work and plan ahead, as well as identify and mitigate risks to delivery.
• Able to proactively develop effective working relationships with colleagues, partners, and other stakeholders.
• Able to produce clear and concise reports and other documents within best practice procedures.
• As part of this role the wearing of Personal Issue Body Armour will be required on some occasions.

Permanent Investigation Officers (PIP2) may be moved to a different role/location at the need of the organisation.

Skills and experience as documented in the role profile need to be evidenced in your application to be considered for interview.

What We Offer

We offer generous entitlements and supportive policies to enable a better work-life balance, some of which are listed below:

• A highly competitive salary and access to a generous pension scheme
• Generous annual leave allowance
• A wide range of family friendly policies including enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption leave
• Flexible working arrangements including flexitime and hybrid working.
• A transparent and collaborative team culture underpinned by our core values of Fairness, Integrity & Trust
• Comprehensive range of development and leadership courses to develop your career with South Yorkshire Police
• Employee Assistant Programme (accessible 24/7) offering confidential support and advice.
• Flexible lifestyle benefits such as: Blue Light Card, Company Shop, Cycle to work scheme.
• Committed to embedding sustainability: South Yorkshire Police Sustainability Strategy 2020-2025 (yhrn.police)
• Membership to the Sports and Social Club
• Access to a wide range of staff support groups and networks

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the minimum requirement checkable history criteria, which must be taken into account for individuals applying to work with South Yorkshire Police in any capacity. A minimum checkable history of 5 years is required for this role and successfully undergoing recruitment vetting procedure is a pre-requisite of employment with South Yorkshire Police.

Appearance & Standards

South Yorkshire Police is committed to striking a proportionate balance between self-expression and the need to maintain role sensitive professional standards in dress and appearance. Officers, staff, and volunteers of South Yorkshire Police are permitted to have tattoos visible whilst on duty provided the tattoo is not considered to be unacceptable or otherwise inappropriate. Tattoos will be reviewed as part of the recruitment and selection process.

South Yorkshire Police’s overarching aim is to deliver an excellent police service to support safer communities. The public’s assessment of our excellence is influenced by the level of trust and confidence in us, as an organisation and as individuals. In comparison to the general public, police officers and police staff are held to a higher standard of behaviour and accountability. In applying to join the police, applicants are accepting of these higher standards and understand the implications on their right to privacy.

South Yorkshire Police’s Key Values

At South Yorkshire Police we have 3 key values which run through everything we do Fairness, Integrity & Trust, the attached document details the key behaviours we expect all employees to adhere to.

Smarter Ways Of Working

South Yorkshire Police is committed to developing working practices which assist staff to balance their personal and professional lives, whilst meeting the needs of the organisation. This in turn enables SYP to provide an outstanding service to the community.

There are 3 different categories as part of this which are: Fixed, Field and Hybrid.

This role has been evaluated as a Fixed role.

Fixed: This is a traditional arrangement, applicable when the work is mostly required to be undertaken at a fixed single place of work (on police premises) for most of the time. The work can only or is more effectively delivered from a police premises or other agreed organisational/partner premises.

Contact Details

For further information about the role, please email DCI Tom Woodward at [e-mail]

Closing Date

30 September 2026.

Closing dates are not normally extended, other than in exceptional circumstances and agreement is made between the Recruitment Manager and the Line Manager for the role.

Candidate Information

Please note that, should you be successful at the interview stage and before appointment, the relevant pre-employment checks are required. These include references, medical clearance, vetting clearance, and sickness absence criteria check.

Diversity & Inclusion

Applications are particularly welcome from female and ethnic minority candidates.

It is really important to us that the department represents the community we serve, in order for us to provide the best service, utilising a range of backgrounds, experience and skills. We support and value all officers and staff and the unique experiences they bring to the role. We strongly encourage and welcome applications from these valuable, underrepresented groups.

If you are from an underrepresented group and want to find out more about the support we can offer, please contact our dedicated team on [e-mail]

In addition, we will look to support anyone who requires Part Time/Job share working hours.

Internal Candidates

You must apply through the internal jobs board.

This vacancy is temporary; therefore, you must have the support of your current Line Manager to apply. If you are a permanent member of staff, this would be classed as a secondment opportunity. If you are on a fixed term contract, you must contact the Recruitment Team before applying.

Please ensure that you and your current line manager complete the attached consent form. Please email the completed form to the hiring line manager, with the role title and the closing date stated in the subject of your email.

Without support, your application will not be considered any further.

Further Information

This role is offered on a fixed-term basis in accordance with applicable employment legislation and South Yorkshire Police policy.

Fixed-term contracts are used where there is a genuine business need, such as project-based work, temporary cover, or time-limited funding. The fixed term period is subject to change, linked to the posts requirements and may be subject to extension or early termination in line with appropriate notice period.

All fixed-term employees will receive equal treatment and access to opportunities in line with our commitment to fair and inclusive employment practices.

Where appropriate, fixed-term roles may be made permanent without the need for a further recruitment process.

Documents To Review

For the Police Staff Recruitment Vetting Handbook

For Application Guidance and Tips

For the FIT Values of South Yorkshire Police

For Secondment Approval

View Our Recruitment Video

https://youtu.be/2dGn5qti7_c